We have crossed the 60-day mark in Almaty—can you believe it? We are so entrenched in our routines that it feels like we’ve been here forever, and yet, the house still isn’t put together, nor is it running smoothly. My frustrations these days definitely stem from the house (lack of décor, half our things still missing, functional challenges with the house itself, and lack of high-quality cooking implements). Alas, these things take time . . . though we’ve been told the remainder of our shipment should arrive within the next month. Wouldn’t that be splendid if I could have everything set up by Thanksgiving!? On the bright side, at least the tree is here already, so no more tree-less Christmases for us.
The beginning of a tour is a fascinating time, one in which I spend a lot of time simply noticing. Noticing what to do (and NOT do) to blend in, figuring out how things are done, and most importantly–what’s considered “normal”.
For example—conversing on the bus: not normal. Whistling—very bad luck! Gifting an even number of flowers—also bad luck! Bringing a small gift when meeting someone for coffee—a must. Women linking arms or holding hands in public: normal.
I always think it’s fun to share what I’ve observed in comparison to what my expectations were coming in. Here’s what I’ve noticed this time around:
What’s Delighted Me:
- Weather: Fall has been just as glorious as I expected it to be. Seasons—and the internal shift they ignite—are such a gift. After four years of either monsoon or stifling heat, it is so refreshing to enjoy the nuances of seasonal change.
- Infrastructure: The infrastructure here is spectacular, especially when compared to Africa and India. Roads are well-maintained and while driving is a bit on the aggressive side, traffic rules are mostly adhered to. Drivers are overly cautious around pedestrians, which is such a delight after the reckless streets of Mumbai where it was every man for themselves.
- City Planning: There are an abundance of sidewalks, parks and playgrounds built in the city. Like the roads, they are well-maintained and get a lot of usage. It’s a very livable city overall. I never tire of the glorious mountain views that front the city. I’ve always been blasé about mountains before but I dare say I’m turning into a mountain person.
- Restaurant Scene: As you know from my social media feed, there are a large number of inexpensive, high-quality restaurants here that I frequent often. The interiors are eye-catching and there’s a big focus on how the food is presented. It makes going out to eat a joy each and every time.
- Public Transport: I’ve never been at a post before where we were permitted to take public transport, so riding the bus has been a major cultural experience for me. It makes me feel like I’m just another Kazakh heading to work or school each day. Being able to blend in and be one of many feels nice after so many years of sticking out like a sore thumb. And it’s definitely the best deal around at 22 cents a ride!
What’s Surprised Me:
- Drinking Water: This is the first post we’ve served at where the water is potable! It has a bit of a funny taste, so they still give us a purifier, but just knowing that we won’t get sick should we accidentally drink some is very comforting. And it also means we don’t have to bleach our fruits and vegetables, which saves many hours each week!
- Price of Flowers: Flowers are oddly expensive, yet very popular here. There are no $5-10 bouquets available like at Trader Joe’s or the Farmer’s Market. The cheapest bouquet I’ve found thus far is $30 and arrangements are usually closer to $50-70. I know that’s comparable to flower delivery services in the United States, but I guess I assumed there’d be an inexpensive market option as well. That being said, flowers are everywhere. There’s a flower shop on every corner and I see multiple people carrying them each time I go out. They’re the go-to gift here, that’s for sure.
- How often I get mistaken for a Kazakh of Russian ancestry (or a Russian): When Kazakhstan was part of the Soviet Union, it was utilized as a place to send dissidents from all over the U.S.S.R who were seen as problematic. It was also promoted heavily as a “pioneer destination” for young Soviets eager to settle in a new land with new opportunities (alas, the steppe wasn’t quite the land of milk and honey the Soviets promised). Anyway, as a result, a multitude of ethnicities ended up in Kazakhstan, adding to the diversity of the population. So, despite Kazakhstan being a Central Asian nation, there is a large percentage of people with fair skin and light hair, many of whose families originally came from Russia or other former Soviet Republics. It is the latter group that I get confused for, which presents a new set of challenges that I wasn’t expecting. I get stopped at least once every other day by someone who wants help or directions. They’ll come up and start speaking rapid-fire Russian which inevitably causes me to freeze up. With time I’ve learned to collect myself, ask them to repeat their question, and then explain in Russian that I don’t speak well but I will try to help. It is oddly satisfying the few times I’ve been able to understand and give someone directions!
This his gotten longer than I like, so I’m going to break the post into two parts. Next time–my remaining surprises + what has disappointed me.
